The forgotten story of ... when Charlton played France and won 5-2

12-Apr-2020 12:00:43 | The Guardian

A 1937 rush to Paris as last-minute stand-ins for fascist-era Italy led to a remarkable victory, a day after beating Huddersfield

The story of what is surely Charlton Athletic’s most unusual fixture started without them, in Vienna in March 1937, when a match between Austria and Italy was stopped by the Swedish referee Otto Olsson in the 73rd minute because of rising levels of on-field violence and off-field rancour. By the time a game described by the Guardian as “one of the most riotous football matches ever seen” was called off, three Italians were limping, one Austrian had been forced off the field by injury, another had been dismissed and Italy were angrily refusing to let a free-kick be taken.

“Both teams were in a fighting spirit, but it was political rather than sporting,” we wrote. “From the start fouls and disputes followed one another in rapid succession.”

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The forgotten story of ... when Charlton played France and won 5-2